So I'm looking to take a ride from Phoenix to southern California later this week. I was considering making a long loop around the Salton Sea. I've never seen it before, and thought it might be worth a trip.
I'll be riding my Kawasaki Concours, with my brother on a Yamaha V-Star, so I want to stay off the dirt roads.
So.... is there anything to see at the Salton Sea? Worth a trip? Or should I stay away, and find something else to look at?
If you can recommend some nice roads that meander through So-Cal I would appreciate any input.
Thanks!
-Steve in Phx.

So I'm looking to take a ride from Phoenix to southern California later this week. I was considering making a long loop around the Salton Sea. I've never seen it before, and thought it might be worth a trip.
I'll be riding my Kawasaki Concours, with my brother on a Yamaha V-Star, so I want to stay off the dirt roads.
So.... is there anything to see at the Salton Sea? Worth a trip? Or should I stay away, and find something else to look at?
If you can recommend some nice roads that meander through So-Cal I would appreciate any input.
Thanks!
-Steve in Phx.

I took a group of ST1100 riders around the Salton Sea several years ago for SaltonSTOC. Stopped for Chinese food in Brawley. To add to the enjoyment, we went up SR 78 to SR 79 and then back down S22. Some great twisties and good views from high above the Salton Sea. If time is running short, you can cut over to S22 well below SR79. Or, you can go farther south and check out Glamis.

You can come up 86, break off west on S2 to Borrego Springs, climb the Montezuma grade and end up in Julian.
A great Dudley's bakery to fill you up, then a bunch of twisted roads to get to Temecula, or Orange County, and if you must....LA.
Or stop in Palm Springs and see the other (green) desert.

111 is more interesting than 86.
There's Slab City by Niland, as previously mentioned, also some weirdness at Bombay Beach.
There are more options if you could get off pavement.
Hwy 78 is fine. Don't worry about hitting any desert tortoise in that area as they're fenced in so all so their predators can get to em.

A word of caution. If you choose to travel either Hwys 111, or 78; because either are shortcut routes for commercial truck traffic, expect to frequently encounter oncoming traffic passing semi's in no-passing zones. The shoulders along these roads are generally soft sand, so you're not left with many options.

That road from Brawley to Blythe can be a bear.. It seems like every Wal-Mart and moving truck in the World uses that two-lane.. I once got so punch-drunk from wind blast I nearly fell off the bike at the first light..

Glamis is neat, but don't get gas at the store there.. Damn expensive, as they service the dune buggy crowd primarily.

If you're not in a hurry, take 95 from Blythe to Vidal jct, then go back thru Parker, Bouse, and Wickenburg.. my favorite.